ICT on Full Thrust

20 Jul 2017

By Fawwaz Baktee

According to the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Singapore will see an additional 42,000 job vacancies in the infocomm and technology (ICT) sector in the next three years. This is on top of the 180,000 individuals currently in the field.

To help address the manpower shortage and skills, the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF), together with NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), SPRING Singapore and IMDA launched Talentguru on 20 July 2017 at the NTUC Centre.

Talentguru is a skills-focused career development online portal that aims to develop the talent pipeline for Singapore’s infocomm media industry. The initiative provides a suite of programmes and support to prepare students coming into the industry, reskill career switchers, enable current professionals to stay relevant and help employers facilitate the hiring process.

“SMEs [small- and medium-sized enterprises] and start-ups will now have a dedicated platform that links employers with fresh graduates and job seekers – a resource that many did not have in the past. Talentguru will also drive industry-wide co-operation by bridging technologists, entrepreneurs, multinationals and Singapore companies with institutes of higher learning and government agencies to uncover new science, business and technology talents,” said SiTF Talent and Capabilities Committee Co-Chair Benjamin Mah.

Users will be able to create their own profile and compare their skills against industry demands.

The online platform also helps employers focus on objective assessments based on the current skills of the individual rather than certification, which may become increasingly irrelevant over time, said an SiTF spokesperson.

Suites of Initiatives

To help individuals deepen their skills, SiTF together with Carnegie Mellon University spinoff Proxor will administer a skills assessment for candidates on java programming.

The assessments are meant to help individuals gain more industry recognition and ease the transition for re-skilled career switchers.

SiTF is also working with SPRING Singapore to run a programme for mentors to be equipped with skills to guide interns, and to match students with quality internships.

Support from e2i

e2i has also pledged to support the initiative through networking sessions, career fairs, industry talks and reaching out to schools.

To mark this commitment, e2i signed a memorandum of understanding with SiTF at the launch of Talentguru.

Over the next three years, Talentguru seeks to engage 500 companies and 10,000 users, facilitating the placement of 3,000 ICT professionals and 1,000 students. It also hopes to train 300 SME internship mentors.